Commonwealth Fusion Systems, spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s research labs, aims to build the world’s first grid-scale fusion power plant in Virginia. The ambitious project plans to come online in the early 2030s and produce 400 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 150,000 homes.
The process involves nuclear fusion – fusing atomic nuclei to release massive amounts of energy, similar to the sun’s reactions. However, achieving this has proven challenging, with scientists struggling to overcome technical hurdles.
In 2022, a breakthrough at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory led to “ignition” – successfully producing excess energy from the reaction. While Commonwealth Fusion Systems hasn’t replicated this feat, it has secured $2 billion in funding and continues construction on its smaller reactor as a proof of concept.
The company’s plan is to push forward with the assumption that technical challenges can be overcome. If successful, the larger reactor could revolutionize clean energy production.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/mit-linked-company-says-it-will-build-worlds-first-grid-scale-nuclear-fusion-power-plant-2000541961